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As countries brace for a monthslong coronavirus crisis, FP has collected our top reads and interviews on how the world has responded to the threat of COVID-19 so far. [Thread.] https://buff.ly/2X58c7w
Despite being locked out the World Health Organization, Taiwan’s cases and fatalities remain astoundingly low. Hilton Yip attributes its early and effective response to past experience. [2/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/16/taiwan-china-fear-coronavirus-success/
. @devisridhar argues that South Korea's model for mass diagnostic testing was the only way to contain the outbreak. The country tests more than 20,000 people daily and use isolation and contact tracing to stymie transmission. [3/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/23/coronavirus-pandemic-south-korea-italy-mass-testing-covid19-will-keep-spreading/
Canada’s thorough response to the coronavirus in part came from its experience with SARS in 2003, writes @Justin_Ling. It has a well-funded public health care system, and its testing criteria for COVID-19 is not as limited as in the U.S. [4/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/13/canada-shows-how-easy-virus-testing-can-be/
Some success stories are unexpected, as is the case for Georgia: “This is a country that is used to crisis,” says Georgian journalist @antelava on FP’s Don’t Touch your Face podcast. Taking serious measures early on was intuitive. [5/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/podcasts/dont-touch-your-face-coronavirus-podcast/georgia-coronavirus-success-story/
Iceland has tested more people per capita than anywhere else in the world—an effort led by a private medical research company based in Reykjavik. From FP’s Don’t Touch your Face podcast. [6/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/podcasts/dont-touch-your-face-coronavirus-podcast/dont-touch-your-face-iceland/
Sweden’s high trust culture has prevented officials from signaling a country-wide lockdown. “[T]here is an expectation that citizens will conform … without being strong-armed into doing so,” @n_rothschild writes. [7/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/24/sweden-coronavirus-open-for-business/
Russian citizens, on the other hand, have a general distrust toward government. “Should the true scope of the virus prove to be higher ... it would mean that the Russian government has missed its chance to slow the pandemic,” writes FP’s @reidstan. [8/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/18/fortress-russia-coronavirus-spread-covid-pandemic/
There is similar doubt toward official numbers in Iran. Maysam Behravesh attributes Iran’s failed response in part to misunderstanding. [9/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/24/how-iran-botched-coronavirus-pandemic-response/
FP editors and reports are working around the clock and around the world to provide in-depth coronavirus coverage. Follow the latest stories that track the deadly pandemic here. [10/10] https://foreignpolicy.com/projects/coronavirus-wuhan-china-pandemic-outbreak-guide-2020/
